Anna Van Orden and Taylor Virusky
Hilltern Spotlight
Recently, CNCT put out a call to our audience for exceptional interns worth spotlighting, and two names stood out.
Anna Van Orden spent her summer interning with the House Financial Services Committee. Taylor Virusky has spent nearly seven months as a Press Intern in Senator Tim Kaine's office.
Though their offices and roles differ, both were nominated by the people who worked alongside them for the same reason: they showed up, worked hard, and made an impact on their teams even as interns.
So, for this Staffer Spotlight, we're introducing you to two stellar Hillterns worth knowing.
Want to meet an intern who's climbed Mt. Fuji and another who loved exploring Okinawa’s beaches?
Oh, you should talk to Anna Van Orden and Taylor Virusky!
Meet Anna Van Orden
A Germantown, Maryland native and finance major at Temple University, Anna spent her summer as a Committee Intern with the House Financial Services Committee. This was Anna's second summer interning on the Hill, and her coffee chat skills have become quite impressive.
Her path to the Hill began in 2023, when her first tour of the Capitol left her starstruck. “I really wanted to get in on the action,” she says.
This summer, she did.
Her Backstory
🏠 Hometown: Germantown, Maryland
🎓 College & Major: Temple University (Finance)
💼 Internship: House Financial Services Committee
🔗 CNCT with Anna about…
Climbing Mt. Fuji ⛰️
The art of the Hill coffee chat ☕
Finding the best work clothes at the thrift store 👗
Playing guitar and drums 🥁
Where to find a vintage voice-to-vinyl recording booth in D.C. 🎙️
Front-Row Seats
What did Anna like most about working on a committee? The range. Financial Services touches nearly every corner of the financial world, and she got a front-row seat to all of it.
One of the highlights came during a committee markup in early July, when Anna got to hand amendments to Members and watch them vote live to advance legislation that could eventually become law. Not a bad line for the internship resumé!
One of her biggest surprises was just how friendly the Hill actually is. Partisanship aside, she found staffers on both sides of the aisle happy to grab coffee. What sounded intimidating at first became one of the best ways to meet people outside her own office.
Anna says the biggest difference between her two summers on the Hill was how natural coffee chats and networking began to feel this time around. The confidence and connections that came with it are something she knows will travel with her far beyond Capitol Hill.
The Work Ethic Rule
Anna's biggest takeaway about what separates a good Hill staffer from a great one? Work ethic.
Put yourself in a staffer's shoes, she says, and consider everything they need to get through a given day, including the unglamorous tasks. Stay on top of those consistently, and people notice.
And apparently, people noticed. Anna's name came up again and again when CNCT asked our audience to nominate exceptional interns.
“Anna took it upon herself to lead the interns and did a fantastic job in efficiency and precision.”
“She easily comes to mind when you think of legendary interns you've hosted in the office.”
“Anna was a terrific intern for our office. She produced good work products in a timely manner, was always friendly and responsive.”
❤️ Anna’s Favorites
Coffee Spot: Tatte — iced chai latte with a raspberry pavlova
Lunch Spot: Santa Rosa Taqueria
TV Show: Arrested Development
Movie: Zoolander
How She Unwinds: Scrapbooking
Anna’s Capitol Corner
💎 DC Hidden Gem: Byrdland Records, home to a vintage voice-to-vinyl recording booth
👔 Hill Closet, Sponsored by: The thrift store
👜 My Internship Bag Always Has: A reusable bag and glasses cleaner
🧗 Hobbies/Hidden Talent: Plays guitar and drums, loves hiking and camping, and recently summited Mt. Fuji
Finding Her Next Direction
Anna's time on the Financial Services Committee also helped clarify what comes next. As a finance major, she is now aiming for a career in wealth management. Watching the operations behind the policy gave her a real feel for where her interests in the field actually lie.
Her internship may have ended on July 10, but the confidence, connections, and clarity she gained from it are going with her.
Meet Taylor Virusky
A Centreville, Virginia native and International Affairs major at James Madison University, Taylor spent nearly seven months as a Press Intern in Senator Tim Kaine's office.
For Taylor, the Hill was a chance to jumpstart the career she already knew she wanted: one in public service. As a Virginia native, working for Senator Kaine also gave her the opportunity to serve her home state.
“I enjoy working for Senator Tim Kaine because every day I have the opportunity to contribute to work that makes a meaningful difference for people across Virginia,” she says.
Her Backstory
🏠 Hometown: Centreville, Virginia
🎓 College & Major: James Madison University (International Affairs)
💼 Internship: Press Intern, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine
🔗 CNCT with Taylor about…
Saying yes to every opportunity on the Hill ✔️
The surprisingly robust Hill reception circuit
Landscape and nature photography 📷
Exploring Okinawa 🌊
Why every intern's bag needs an umbrella 🌂
The Intern Who Kept Showing Up
The highlight of Taylor's internship wasn't one particular event or assignment. It was the people she met in Senator Kaine's office. And according to her team, that appreciation went both ways.
Taylor was nominated for the way she approached every part of her internship: never late, always willing to help, humble enough to ask for assistance when she needed it, and positive whether the task was simple or difficult.
“Taylor has proven to be exceptionally devoted to the press team and to the office more generally throughout her internship.”
Her office says she “will be very greatly missed” when her internship ends in August.
Say Yes to the Hill
What surprised Taylor most about interning on the Hill? The receptions.
Throughout the spring, she and a friend frequently attended events, which became a great way to meet new people and expand her network. It's also part of the advice she'll pass along to future Hill interns: say yes.
“Be open to every opportunity that comes your way, even if it's not something you think you'd be interested in,” Taylor says. “When being on Capitol Hill, you truly never know what you'll learn or who you'll meet.”
That openness has also helped shape what comes next. Taylor wants to build a career in public service where she can use communications to inform and connect with people, and her time on Senator Kaine's press team reinforced that this is the path she wants to pursue.
❤️ Taylor’s Favorites
Coffee Spot: Lemon Cafe — always with an iced chai
Lunch Spot: Gigi’s Pasta
TV Show: Summer House
Movie: Forrest Gump
How She Unwinds: A walk when the weather is nice or relaxing with a good show
Taylor’s Capitol Corner
💎 DC Hidden Gem: The Hirshhorn Museum — one of the best museums on the National Mall and usually one of the least crowded
👔 Hill Closet, Sponsored by: Pentagon City Mall
🌂 My Internship Bag Always Has: An umbrella
🏞️ Hobbies/Hidden Talent: Photography, especially landscapes and nature
Where She's Been, Where She's Going
One of Taylor's favorite places she's traveled is Okinawa, where she loved exploring the beaches and downtown Naha. Next on the list? The South of France and Northern Italy.
It tracks for someone who loves photographing landscapes and nature — and who says one thing people should know about her is that she enjoys pushing herself to try things she hasn't done before.
Anna and Taylor took different paths through their internships, but their nominations tell a similar story. The people working alongside them noticed their work ethic, their willingness to help, and the way they showed up for their teams.